Anxiety Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete development and requires additional medical examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including anxiety disorder and PTSD, due to insufficient evidence regarding the in-service stressors. The case will be readjudicated after additional development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive and generalized anxiety disorder is being remanded due to the need for a DRO hearing.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for mixed anxiety depressive disorder has been dismissed as the full benefit sought was granted.,The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings for stress fracture of the right tibia with instability and left femur and left tibia stress related phenomena have been denied. The current 20 percent ratings are deemed appropriate based on the evidence of record.,For the periods from October 1, 2012 to February 25, 2016, and April 1, 2016 to October 15, 2018, the Veteran's right knee disability was rated under DC 5003-5260. The current ratings of 10 percent are deemed appropriate based on limitation of motion.,The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating in excess of 10 percent for internal derangement with meniscal tear and degenerative arthritis of the right knee has been denied.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than post-traumatic stress disorder, including depression and anxiety; sleep apnea; and headaches. The diagnoses are based on the Veteran's reported symptoms and medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's anxiety and insomnia are found to be symptoms of his service-connected PTSD with depressive disorder. His PTSD is granted a higher initial evaluation from June 1, 2014.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to issues being inextricably intertwined and insufficient evidence. The case must be returned for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorder and any personality disorder. The Veteran's OSA is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to his military service.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and schizophrenia, was granted. Service connection for the anxiety disorder is also granted. The claims for upper respiratory disorders and thyroid disorder are denied. A rating in excess of 20 percent for duodenal ulcer and low back disability is denied. Left lower extremity radiculopathy ratings prior to March 30, 2015 and after that date are also denied.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder, a sleep disorder, GERD, colon disorders, headache disorder, diabetes mellitus type II (DM), eye disorders, low back and neck disorders, erectile dysfunction, right and left carpal tunnel syndromes. The decision also denied reopening of the claim for hypertension.

The Veteran's claims for an effective date prior to March 19, 2014, for the grant of service connection for bipolar disorder including depression and anxiety symptoms with cannabis use disorder are dismissed.,The Veteran's claim for a higher initial disability rating for bipolar disorder including depression and anxiety symptoms with cannabis use disorder is also dismissed.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for fatigue and memory loss due to exposure at Camp Lejeune, as well as compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a left eye blind spot due to VA medical treatment on June 26, 2014 are all dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected back condition and depression rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from February 6, 2008 to April 1, 2009. From July 1, 2009 to May 31, 2010, his combined disabilities continued to prevent substantial gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA psychiatric examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorder, including whether any current psychiatric disability is related to service or worsened by his service-connected tinnitus and hearing loss.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional evidence and medical opinions regarding the appellant's character of discharge and whether he was insane at the time of his misconduct.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for schizophrenia, an unspecified psychotic disorder, anxiety disorder, and asthma due to outstanding VA treatment records and a need for additional examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder, as well as his claim for TDIU due to lack of sufficient evidence regarding the onset and causation of these conditions during active service.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss. The remaining issues, including respiratory disability, psychiatric disorder, cervical and thoracolumbar spine disabilities, and foot disabilities, are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and further development of his mental health records.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied as he did not meet the schedular criteria and there is no evidence of unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for CFS is not warranted. The Veteran's claim was denied in March 2009, and he filed a petition to reopen his claim on April 30, 2014. The Board also found remanded issues related to service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, initial compensable rating for CFS, and entitlement to TDIU.